Abstract: A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

Abstract: A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

Abstract: A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

Abstract: A self-holding drilling system utilizes a vacuum gripping base and an air extraction pump to apply a holding force toward an object surface while maintaining surface-ward pressure on a drilling apparatus mounted therein. The pump extracts air from two discrete, but coupled volumes: a volume associated with the vacuum gripping base and a volume related to one or more piston tubes mounted transversely to the vacuum gripping element and movably coupled to the drilling apparatus. The surface area of the piston tubes is less than the surface area of the vacuum gripping base, which ensures the holding force is sufficient to prevent the drilling system from lifting from the object surface while also ensuring a driving force on the drilling apparatus is always less than the holding force. Thus, the operation of the drilling apparatus automatically drills into an object surface without requiring manual pressure on the drilling apparatus.

Abstract: A vacuum gripper sealing element allows a vacuum gripper to suitably conform to irregular surface topology without compromising vacuum conditions. The sealing element utilizes a compressible sealing element which at least partially encapsulates an elastic sealing element. Upon being pressed against an object surface, the compressible sealing element will conform within and around macroscopic peaks, valleys and other irregular physical features. While conforming to macro-scale features, the compressible sealing element applies pressure isotropically upon the encapsulated elastic sealing element, which elastically conforms to micro-scale features while pressed thereagainst. The elastic sealing element has a fluid-filled interior that is surrounded by an elastic outer layer. While under pressure against an irregular surface topology, the fluid-filled interior displaces so as to redistribute internal forces, conforming the elastic outer layer to the micro-scale features of the object surface.

Abstract: A self-holding drilling system utilizes a vacuum gripping base and an air extraction pump to apply a holding force toward an object surface while maintaining surface-ward pressure on a drilling apparatus mounted therein. The pump extracts air from two discrete, but coupled volumes: a volume associated with the vacuum gripping base and a volume related to one or more piston tubes mounted transversely to the vacuum gripping element and movably coupled to the drilling apparatus. The surface area of the piston tubes is less than the surface area of the vacuum gripping base, which ensures the holding force is sufficient to prevent the drilling system from lifting from the object surface while also ensuring a driving force on the drilling apparatus is always less than the holding force. Thus, the operation of the drilling apparatus automatically drills into an object surface without requiring manual pressure on the drilling apparatus.